Life
Children as Image-bearers
I ran across this terrific article at the Gospel Driven Life blog on parenting (HT: Trevin Wax). It discusses our children as image-bearers. The author says about our kids: They are image bearers. They are creatures, made by God and for God. They are given glory and honor by God. They have inherent value, of…
Read MoreWhy We Need Music
I once heard a well-meaning Christian leader say something like this, “Ahh, music is so overrated. You don’t need music. If you were stranded on an island, you would get along fine without music.” I actually believed him for a time and used to think this. But then, when I faced some of my darkest…
Read MoreWhen Gratitude is Tested
I wrote about the difficulty of gratitude in hard times for my weekly Crosswalk devotional. Here’s an excerpt: We can only summon the strength to gratitude when we understand the goodness of a sovereign God. James reminds us that God uses our trials to shape our character, so that the perfect life of Christ is…
Read MoreRussell Moore on Forgiveness:
When we forgive, we are confessing that vengeance is God’s (Rom. 12:19). We don’t need to exact justice from a fellow believer because justice has already fallen at the cross. We don’t need to exact vengeance from an unbeliever because we know the sin against us will be judged in hell or, more hopefully, when…
Read MoreJohn Chrysostom on the Power of Prayer
The potency of prayer has subdued the strength of fire, it has bridled the rage of lions, hushed anarchy to rest, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, expanded the fates of heaven, assuaged diseases, dispelled frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested…
Read MoreYour Best Testimony: Not Being a Jerk
Sometimes the best opportunity to demonstrate the gospel to those who do not know Jesus is quite simply not being a jerk when you have the opportunity. I’m talking about those times when you’ve been wronged and most people would excuse you for flipping your lid and taking your frustrations out on the next person…
Read MoreFive Ways to Redeem Your Ride
Most Americans drive a considerable distance to get to work. According to the United States Government, the average American spends 100 hours every year in the car. Gallup says that the average American has a 46 minute commute. For a Christian, this represents a terrific opportunity to learn and grow. Technology has given us considerable…
Read MoreFriday Five- Brian Goins
Brian Goins is a pastor and author. He developed numerous study guides, workbooks, and Bible for ministries such as Insight for Living (Chuck Swindoll) and Walk Through the Bible. He’s also a speak for Family Life Today’s Marriage to Remember Conferences. He’s the lead pastor at Renaissance Bible Church in Concord, North Carolina. Recently, Brian…
Read More“No, You’re Daddy!”
Almost two weeks ago, I witnessed the birth of my fourth child, Lily Mae. Even though this was the fourth time I’ve seen a child of mine enter the world, the miracle never lessons in it’s beauty. There is nothing quite like standing in the hospital room and holding your own flesh and blood, moments…
Read MoreWhy Christians Shouldn’t Be Jerks
We’ve been studying the book of James on Sunday Mornings at Gages Lake. We just finished the third chapter on Sunday. The last section of this chapter gives a very specific definition of spiritual maturity. James tells us what it isn’t and what it is. I found it interesting that James was very specific in…
Read MoreWhy Hobbies are Better When They are Not Idols
John Calvin famous said our hearts are great “idol-making factories.” A good, wholesome, beneficial pursuit can quickly become an idol. For me, I find that my pleasurable hobbies can often lead to idolatry. Sports is perhaps the biggest threat. I’m a big time fan of team sports. I love the NFL, the NBA, and Major…
Read MoreWhy Campaigning is Easy, but Governing is Hard
I’ve been watching, with interest, the emerging campaign for Presidency of the United States. I gave up involvement in politics a few years ago to devote full-time attention to ministry, but I am still keenly interested. I watched clips of the GOP Presidential debate last Thursday night. I’ve always enjoyed the debates and give the…
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